Marine Le Pen has claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron will be banished to history “as a man who did nothing,” contrasting him with her late father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, whom she described as a “visionary” who dedicated his life to the preservation of the French people and their way of life.
Le Pen, parliamentary leader of the National Rally, made the remarks while discussing her father’s death and the political legacy he left behind in a candid interview with Le Journal du Dimanche. She praised Jean-Marie Le Pen’s foresight on issues such as immigration and globalization, emphasizing how he warned decades ago of the consequences of unchecked borders and economic competition on France’s sovereignty and social fabric.
“Whatever one thinks of Jean-Marie Le Pen, even his political adversaries recognize that he detected, with heroic perseverance for the time, the problem of immigration,” she said, adding that history will credit him for defending France. In contrast, she criticized Macron for his perceived inaction.
“The judgment of history will record that he saw nothing and, above all, did nothing,” Le Pen said, taking aim at a comment made by the Élysée Palace following news of Jean-Marie’s passing.
Macron’s office spoke of a “historic figure of the extreme right” whose “role in the public life of our country for nearly 70 years is now subject to the judgment of history.”
Le Pen reflected on her father’s deep emotional connection with the French people, recounting moments of his compassion and commitment. She recalled an instance in 2000 when an elderly supporter gifted him her wedding ring as a gesture of solidarity. “He kept it only until the end of the campaign because it was her only treasure,” she said, highlighting his genuine affection for ordinary French citizens.
The French firebrand nationalist expressed anger and sorrow over the celebrations of her father’s death by some far-left groups, describing it as “a symptom of the wildness that has taken hold in parts of our society.”
“When we do not respect life, we do not respect death,” she said, adding that such behavior reflects a broader decline in the values that underpin civilization. Le Pen contrasted this with the response of much of the political class, whom she praised for demonstrating respect despite ideological differences. “It is important for those who behaved with decency to know that it moved me, my family, and our voters,” she added.
Discussing her relationship with her father, Le Pen spoke of the challenges of navigating a political life in the public eye for six decades. While acknowledging moments of tension and disagreement, she emphasized their shared commitment to preserving France’s values. “Politics took everything from us — it stole our father,” she admitted, but added that age had allowed the family to reunite and enjoy the man behind the political figure.
Asked about her decision in 2015 to exclude her father from the National Front (now National Rally), Le Pen said, “I will never forgive myself,” acknowledging the pain it had caused him but insisting it was necessary to move the party forward.
She described her father as one of the last “giants” of French politics, lamenting the loss of values such as courage, honesty, and culture in contemporary political life.
“He is no longer the politician in my mind, he is my father. Since his death, I think that Marie-Caroline, Yann, and I are not the only ones to feel a little orphaned. Many people feel this loss too, even those who did not know him personally.”
